Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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85. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his recent engagement with the US president. [13729/25]

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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As part of my St. Patrick’s Day programme in the US, I visited Austin and Washington D.C. I had an extensive programme in Washington, which included breakfast with the Vice President and the Second Lady, and a bilateral meeting with President Trump.

During my meeting with the President, we discussed the strengthening of our bilateral relations, including our strong economic relationship.

I emphasised the two-way nature of the trade and investment links between Ireland and the US, pointing to the fact that there are 770 Irish companies in the US, supporting hundreds and thousands of jobs across every State. I underlined Ireland’s wish to explore how we can further strengthen this relationship, including in areas such as cutting-edge technology.

I also updated the President on the situation in Northern Ireland, expressing appreciation for the US’ continued role in supporting the peace process. We also discussed global issues, including Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, commending the President’s efforts to find a pathway to peace in both conflicts.

Other political engagements included the Speaker’s lunch on Capitol Hill, meetings with Speaker Johnson and the Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus, and the annual St. Patrick’s Day reception in the White House at which President Trump was presented with the traditional bowl of shamrock.

A wide range of issues were discussed across these engagements including US-Irish bilateral relations, developments in Northern Ireland, and global issues including the Middle East and Ukraine.